McDonald's Lawsuit

[Kathie]

Well it looks like its finally started and I don't think this is a good thing. This link was on the home page for our forum: http://www.smithvanture.com/fries_case.php

Seems some enterprising law firm has decided that there is money to be made by suing McDonalds over the whole French Fry issue. In my opinion this is going to cause problems for Celiacs just when we are starting to make progress. If they are successful in this law suit more companies will intentionally put wheat into their products just to keep us from using them and protect themselves

Grr, can't make this link work, hey Ostrich! Oops! Never mind it helps if you SPELL correctly. Works now.
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CD by Biopsy 3/25/88

[The Edifying Conscience]

Grrrrr...This lawsuit isn't going to help anyone. The only one who is going to get a substantial amount of money is the lawfirm. The rest will be divided amongst the claimants. The celiac community is going to take a hit just as you described. The child(ren) are still stuck with their ridiculously stupid parents who will probably move on to another product to sue after they realize they didn't hit pay dirt afterall. Poor kids!
TEC

[aklap]

eegggggggh

1 step forward...2 steps back.

Dumba$$e$

I have thought about emailing them and telling them they are doing nothing but harm.
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[Fidissimus]

Do it Al! Do it!
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Cheers!
Jenn

GF BD: Feb. 2001
Free of wheat, barley, rye, oats, dairy, eggs, almonds, pineapple and brewers yeast.
http://graindamaged.blogspot.com/

[ostrich]

[aklap]

Os,

We've had a few lengthy discussions on McD's

http://www.celiacforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1870
http://www.celiacforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2071


Short version: McD voluntarily disclosed the ingredients in the processing of their fries. The par fry oil is made up of ingredients that have wheat derivatives [during the processing of this oil, gluten is removed/destroyed]. This set off a firestorm. Testing was done to backup the original story that the fries are indeed GF - their recipe for the fries did not change. Cross contaminiation issues...now that's another story.
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[The Edifying Conscience]

I'm a little confused, why all the hostility? If somebody's child got sick off the fries when they were told they're GF, they have the right to sue. McD's needs label their fries correctly, GF or not.


Ostrich,
Hostility! Hmmmmmm
Because cross contamination is probably the biggest issue that those on a gluten free diet face and the stupid parents repeatidly feed there children food that could easily have been cross contaminated by simply dropping a chicken nuggett in the fry oil for 2 seconds causing the kids to react to cross contamination.
Because even after the kids got sick the parents continued to feed them McDs.
Because McDs had the fries tested and as I understand it the wheat went through a process similar to what the distillation does for vinegar and alcohol. Thus, no gluten.
Because stupid people get what they deserve.
Because McDs does not NEED to label their products GF just like many other companies don't NEED to label their products GF. They do our community a favor by labeling some product GF. Mark my word, some companies will quit offering gf food gluten free because of a fear of litigation.

All of the above are the reasons why I'm angry about it and think those kids should be taken from those negligient parents.
TEC

[ostrich]

Al's right, cross-contamination is another issue. I'm betting even the best restaurants have issues with it.

However, I was referring to the specific ingredients that make up a french fry, including what's in the oil they're fried in. McD's is certainly doing everybody a favor by labeling them GF or not. But they're required to list all the ingredients, and it's up to the individual to decide if they're safe or not.

If McD's mislabled their fries, then they deserve to be sued.
If McD's correctly labeled their fries, then the people are just stupid (though I feel bad for the children). The lawsuit will be dismissed.

Perhaps I'm missing something...?
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Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[Kathie]

[daughteroftheking]

Quoted from McD's official website:

French Fries
Potatoes, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural flavor (beef, wheat and dairy sources), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (to preserve natural color). Cooked in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (may contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil and/or partially hydrogenated corn oil and/or partially hydrogenated canola oil and/or cottonseed oil and/or sunflower oil and/or corn oil). Contains derivatives of wheat and dairy.

Also, McD's doesn't always cook them in seperate fyers because I've asked at several. I think that's pretty plain of what is in the fries...

[SoIhaveAdisease]

I'm just hoping this curse of a misguided lawsuit can become a BLESSING.

Thinks about it: If they go the real route and say: "It says NATURAL FLAVOR" that shouldn't mean there is "beef, wheat and dairy sources" as the NATURAL FLAVOR. Natural flavor if the taste of whatever when it is NOT MESSED WITH.

Beef should not taste like wheat and dairy sources. Beef should be BEEF!


Like we've all said before: it's in our hands. We should be allowed to see a full ingredients list and make a choice for ourselves! No more "Modified food starch" "starches" "food starch" "natural flavor"!!! I want to be able to KNOW what I can and can't have instead of living in fear for my LIFE that I can get sick of a piece of candy. Or a simple slab of beef! I think that ALL people with allergies should be ALL over this- because PROPER LABLING will healp MILLIONS of people lead healthier lives! People with dairy problems shouldn't eat their meat either! But "natural flavor" doesn't say "Traces of dairy" instead, so people with a dairy allergy sould get REALLY sick. Not just off of McD, but off of ANYthing that is labled wrong.

They're dumb to go after McDonalds. Real dumb.

Who we should be going after is the FDA and knock some sense into their lying manipulative heads.

They're a crock- they mislable on purpose, although only God truly knows why they do that- and even the food pyramid is a crock! Does that pyramid apply to you and me? NO! Does it apply to someone who can't eat dairy? NO. Does it apply to someone who has problems with digesting meat properly? NO. But what does it say? That everyone should eat a balanced diet and this is what a blanced diet is.
I say: let's fix the FDA- and then EVERYTHING will slowly be brought to perfect order. What do you think??
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Is ferret meat gluten-free?

[cruelshoes]

[momto4]

I agree with the stupid law suits. It is like saying 'baby walkers'are unsafe. Course they are if you let your child be in them near ungaurded open fires or stairways. Or cotton pj's are dangerous because my kid cant dance near an open fire! The problem here is the individuals. Sorry they are stupid .Also when are people going to take responsibility for THEIR actions. We bring up our kids to always 'blame' something. They get in trouble at school its the orher persons fault or the schools/teachers fault. It was up to the parents to be responsible for their childrens wellfare. If in doubt I leave i tout. If my son gets glutenated its my fault. I wasnt vigilent enough. Though I will add that if something is lableled GF I am mighty pissed off if it has gluten it it. But... McD's IS different anyone knows with CD that the cross contamination is the biggest issue and that every time I let my kiddo have Macs I risk the fact that the oil for frying may have been used for something with wheat in it. I am ticked off because as Al said they will just add gluten and and a disclaimer!